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UK Forces to Take Part in Allied Shield Exercises

Authorities

May 29, 2015

Royal Navy and Army units are taking part in a series of exercises, alongside thousands of personnel from dozens of participating nations.

From early June, UK military personnel will be deployed to Eastern Europe and the Baltic states to take part in a series of military exercises. Collectively named Allied Shield, the four exercises will see thousands of personnel from NATO member and partner nations come together to practice conducting joint operations, while demonstrating NATO’s commitment to collective defence. The UK is taking part in two of the Allied Shield exercises, Baltops and Saber Strike.

Baltops is an annual maritime and amphibious warfare exercise led by the US, taking place in the Baltic Sea and around the coast of Poland. Beginning on June 5th it will involve nearly 4500 personnel, 47 ships, and 49 aircraft from 17 nations, including a 700-strong amphibious landing force. The exercise will practice a range of capabilities, including anti-surface, anti-air and anti-submarine warfare, mine countermeasures, and amphibious landings.

Leading the UK contribution to Baltops, the Royal Navy will deploy HMS Ocean, a helicopter carrier, and HMS Iron Duke, a Type 23 frigate. HMS Quorn, a mine hunting vessel, will also be deployed in its role as part of a NATO mine clearance group. Navy and Army helicopters operate from HMS Ocean, and a detachment of Royal Marines will take part in amphibious landing operations alongside their Finnish, Swedish, and American counterparts.